PROJECT PROPERTIES in PRO X5 ULTIMATE

[geociocan]

Dear Sirs,
I recently bought a Corel Videostudio PRO X5 Ultimate. I’m very happy with this software but I have a question : in PROJECT PROPERTIES I can set only MPEG and AVI Files, and what is more important, I cannot set the resolution I want. For example I have a short MP4 clip with 1920 x 1080. In project properties I can set only smaller resolutions. Is something I can do about it ? Thank you very much for your support. Regards,G.
PS. Scuse my English writing…

[RobertOZ]

This is what I do,
New Project
Click on Settings
Project Properties
Edit file format - Microsoft AVI files
Edit
General
Frame size
User Defined
Change Frame Size, in my case 1280x720 but you can set 1920x1080

Note, this does not work if you select MPEG files as the edit file format

Robert

[geociocan]

Thank you so much for your support. Regards.G

[Ken Berry]

Unfortunately, the code in VS which covers Project Properties is now very old and relates to standard definition video. We have been pushing Corel for several versions to update the code but they have not done so.

In other words, these days Project Properties have only a limited relevance, and that mainly relates to the output option Share > Create Video File > Same As Project Properties. Since just about all of my video editing these days relates to high definition, and given the inability to change Project Properties very much, I simply ignore them and never use the Same As Project Properties option.

[geociocan]

Thank you so much. So, Project Properties Settings are related ONLY with Save as project....If I ignore project properties settings, I can save video file with the same properties that the original file have. I hope you understand me, even my english writing is not very good. Regards.George

[lata]

Hi George

Just to add, your video is using 1920 x 1080, this is widescreen.
From Settings-Enable Widescreen Editing will be selected and sets the shape of the preview screen and will be fine for your video.

If the option for Share - Create Video File – Same as first Video Clip is available then use that.
Otherwise you may have to use Settings-Make Movie Templates Manager to create a suitable template.
Knowing exactly what you are intending to make would of course help us in recommending render settings, also knowing the properties of your video file would also help.

[geociocan]

Hi George

Just to add, your video is using 1920 x 1080, this is widescreen.
From Settings-Enable Widescreen Editing will be selected and sets the shape of the preview screen and will be fine for your video.

If the option for Share - Create Video File – Same as first Video Clip is available then use that.
Otherwise you may have to use Settings-Make Movie Templates Manager to create a suitable template.
Knowing exactly what you are intending to make would of course help us in recommending render settings, also knowing the properties of your video file would also help.

Thank you so much for your kindness. Everything is working now but I have a last question if I may. I couldn't find a clear information in the pdf manual. When I have to use Upper Field or Frame Rate or Lower Field ?

[geociocan]

Thank you so much for your kindness. Everything is working now but I have a last question if I may. I couldn't find a clear information in the pdf manual. When I have to use Upper Field or Frame Rate or Lower Field ?

[lata]

Hi George

Field orders are determined from your original video file.
For HD types they will be either Upper Field or Frame Based aka Progressive.

Right click one of your clips in the timeline, select properties, if there is no Field order indication then it will be Frame Based.

You should use the original field order for your editing and rendering of new files.

Lower Field is generally used for DV-Avi that is from a Mini-DV type camcorder.

[AWally]

Hi Gents

I understand everything that has been said in here and RobertOZ has a work around which I think is needed; except that mine changes to NTSC where as I am a PAL system, with no option to change that. But then perhaps I am missing something.

If one does not set project properties and just use 'whatever' for editing and pick up at the end in creating video file; how does this impact on titles and anything else that may have been inserted in you video.

I have done a quick test with two AVCHD videos, nothing else and then created a video file selecting AVCHD (1920x1080) and it did it and the results are consistent with just adding the two files together. Which is what I was expecting. Did the same two with a photo added and a quick title and using the same process ended up with quite a large file. The results do look alright through a file view although there is most definitely some feathering on the title text; not so sure when I compress it to fit onto a DVD. So that is not really going to suffice considering that I have no intent on burning a blue ray disk.

When try to use MPEG-4 I get the right parameters except that it is frame based whereas the video is Upper Field First and also the frame rates goes to 30fps whereas the base video is 25fps. Now that is going to make a difference. And in the options these cannot be changed anywhere, or at least not where I have seen.

Had a look at the custom option. Now there are some options within MPEG-4 and if I select compression at H264 high I get the size but again at 30fps and the frame type is right. H264 main allows me to change the rate but then the size reduces to 1280x720 which will probably look fine on most tv's. None of the normal MPEG-4 codecs provide for the base size. Which for some reason is just not working.

I really do get the feeling the X5 was just a dabble into the realm of HD editing by Corel.

Have some of these problems been addressed in X6 or are we obliged to go change software, would hate to do it as the corel products, bar lack of support, have been good and the alternatives don't seem to be that flash either.

[lata]

Hi Andrew

Just a couple of comments to get things started.

You are in Australia, I think, so indeed should have installed the program to use Pal standards. Can you confirm you have done that?
Yes you can change the project properties to use either Pal or Ntsc, but the default will be used for new projects.

1 / Press Alt + Enter (Settings Project Properties) will open the Project Properties window.
2 / Set “edit file Format” to use “Mpeg files”
3 / Press “Edit” –opens Project Options window, this shows the default TV standard, what do you see?
4 / Compression tab shows the media type, you can change this to Ntsc if you wished. Now set the other options, I would use Digital Dolby Audio.
5 / General tab—will show the correct frame size for Pal or Ntsc set above.
6 / Set the Frame type/Field order to match your video files order.

Ok will close that window, your settings will show in the lower panel, those are your mew project properties.
If you wish use your mouse to select the text, copy and paste to the forum.
Ok to close the next two panels.

The timeline will now be set to use 25 or 29.9 frames per second.

Your video files…………..
Can you give us some details of the properties.
1 / right click a clip in the timeline and select properties, either type in the details to your post or make an image of the window to attach to your post.
2 / Keyboard Alt+ Enter will copy the windows details to the clipboard, this can be pasted to an image editor to create the image, save as Jpeg and attach to your post.
3 / The attach option is at the bottom of your post.

Mpeg4
There seems to be some confusion here, there should be sufficient options for you to set your properties, Mpeg4 would of course be used for the internet, YouTube etc.

Give us the details asked for above and we will be in a better position to recommend the settings for Mpeg4 and a Standard DVD as you mention not intending to burn a Bluray disc.

[AWally]

Hi Trevor

Thanks for your response. Yes quite correct I am in Australia and thus use the PAL system and it is what I installed to.

Attached the snips from what you have suggested.

Project Option & general

Project Options Compression

Video Properties

No problem here at all and it all seems to work. Just at the wrong size.

Sorry is I created confusion around the MPEG-4 side of things. I also do run a photo sharing website on smugmug to which I upload videos for the family to look at seeing as we are spread all over the world. Then I also create a DVD of the movie(s) which the wife and I can then watch on the TV or bore some friends if the dare to ask about our last rip - lol.

With the old DV tape it was quite simple and everything work great. Then I went and upgraded my camera to HD and hence the fun starts again. Yeah the blue ray thing may come at a later stage but at this stage don't even have a player never mind a burner for them.

Trust you can guide me through the minefield

Regards
André

[lata]

Hi

Well I was confused with the reference to Ntsc which is why I asked you to check the installation tv standard, but all seems ok and you are using Pal.

Your project properties will reflect your settings used to render a file suitable to burn a DVD.
I would use these settings:-
The Video Data Rate I would use Constant for all settings above 6500kbps otherwise use Variable.
If using Variable also set Two Pass Encoding.
How long is your project, if under 70 minutes use 8000kbps Constant.

PAL (25 fps)
MPEG files
24 bits, 720 x 576, 25 fps ---------------------For Standard DVD
Upper Field First ------------------------------(same as original clips)
(DVD-PAL), 16:9 ------------------------------(original were H264)
Video data rate: 8000 kbps -------------------For Standard DVD upto 70 minutes
Audio data rate: 256 kbps ------------------- (same as original clips)
Dolby Digital Audio, 48 KHz, 2/0(L,R)-------(same as original clips)

As you see from the above not much changes except for the frame size and data rate.

OK
Go to Settings Make Movie Templates Manager and create a New template, call it “My DVD 70 minutes”, setting is similar to using the project properties, the template will show from Share Create Video File adjacent to the Custom option.

Now you do not have to worry to much about the project properties, by default they will use Pal and 16:9, to render your project use the new template, always available.

Your HD video will of course be down-scaled to Standard DVD with the reduction in quality, but should be as good as using your old DV-Avi files. I think.

Render a short clip to check the process and quality

[AWally]

Hi Trevor

Thanks for that info, mate. I will give it a try and then let's see what happens.

My common sense just raises the question in shooting in HD and then reducing it to standard, which sort of makes the HD thing pointless and assuming the results are the same as the old DV-avi why did I bother upgrading the camera. Anyway I will give a couple of options a go and send you the results by link of course.

I never do any video longer than 15 minutes, 20 max after which I rather break it up into 2 packages. Find the shorter versions are easier to deal with from a viewing side as well. Something to do with the attention span - hence why TV has ads every 15 minutes or less - Mmmmm (lol)

Well thanks and I will do something over the weekend. Weeks just to hectic with RL.

André